For the love of Chris
by Idreamofivan
Summary: After a wrong journey into right. Chris gets sick and emotions flow. One shot. Please read and review.


**SUMMARY:** After a wrong journey into right. Chris gets sick and emotions flow. One shot. Please read and review.

**DISCLAIMER:** If anyone still had any doubt, I don't own charmed and I am still working on owning Drew Fuller.

**For the love of Chris**

"Would you guys **LISTEN** to me? This is important!" Chris said annoyed, throwing himself on the couch of the sitting room and rubbing his temples.

He wished his head wouldn't hurt so badly, that he wouldn't feel so drained, he was SO tired… so tired… Why was he so tired anyways? He couldn't wait till this was over so he could attack the medicine cabinet AGAIN, he had been feeling kind of lousy for like four days now, and it was getting worst and worst, he even contemplated calling his father for like a second…

"Yeah, this _COULD_ be yet _ANOTHER_ of the twenty-thousand and three demons that _MIGHT_ have turned Wyatt evil" Paige teased him sarcastically, Chris smirked at her.

"We know is important, sweetie…" Piper said sweetly as she walked into the sitting-room, handling him the cup of coffee he had asked for "you wouldn't have dragged me out of magic school any other way."

Chris smiled at her, mouthing a thank you, she would never know if that was for the coffee or for supporting him with the "importance of the demon hunt of the day". Chris looked paled and tired, very, very tired. Her heart skipped a beat, she felt so bad that her younger son was exhausting himself out to save his older brother after all he had made him go through.

Whenever she was alone with Chris in magic school, Chris would change, he would open up and tell his mother almost everything (of course, nothing that would compromise the future). The first few times Piper couldn't help letting her tears run amok when she listened to all the horrible things her baby had to go through; but whenever Chris would see her crying he would stop talking. He couldn't bear seeing his mother crying or the thought of being the one that caused the weeping. So soon, Piper had learnt to hide the tears from him. She would cry at night, when he wouldn't listen, for her baby boy… for both of her sons, and for the faith of the world that Chris lived in, a world that WOULDN'T happen anymore. All thanks to her heroic son… her heart swollen with pride, she smiled at her baby, he smiled back and she reached her hand to caress his cheek; but something odd happened… Chris pulled away, why would Chris avoid her touch?

Piper looked at him hurt and confused, he just smiled at her reassuringly through his tired, glassy eyes, while he sipped his coffee, the cup seemed to be shaking too much in his hand.

"Anyways… it's just SOO simple, if you guys would listen to me!" Chris fought to be heard "We go look for the demon in the underworld… it shouldn't be hard" He showed the page of the book of Shadows that had the pertinent demon in it. "And you just vanquish him, with this spell, for which we NEED the power of three!" He said putting the coffee and paper down, elbowing his knees and resting his head on his hands, as if suddenly it had become too heavy for his neck to support. "Any questions?"

"Why did you pull back?" Piper asked confused, something was wrong and she knew it.

"Uh?" Chris asked confused.

"I tried to touch you and you purposely avoid my touch, WHY?" She repeated her question.

He sighed, head still on his hands, looking down, he definitely didn't need this right now. "I don't know mom, I just didn't see you… I am sorry. Back to the vanquish…any questions?"

Piper that had been standing behind the couch where he was sitting walked around it and sat down.

Phoebe shook her head.

"Nope… piece of cake." Paige smiled.

"Are you ok, honey?" Piper said, stretching her hand to touch him, and his reflects were way too dead at that point to be able to avoid her. "MY GOD CHRIS! You are burning up!" Piper said, trying to feel his temperature better, but he moved his head again. "Why didn't you tell us you weren't feeling good?" She panicked "LEOOO"

"It's ok, mom. It's fine, I am just tired, can we just finish with this so I can go sleep for a while? And I DON'T NEED LEO!"

"You are going to bed right away mister, no vanquishing no NOTHING, clear! LEO GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE NOOOOOOOOWWWW, CHRIS IS SICK!"

Less than a second after Leo was there…

"What happened to Chris?" He asked before even orbing in.

"I am FINE!" His son answered him bitterly.

"I don't know he is burning up!" Piper answered ignoring Chris' answer.

Leo ran to kneel in front of his son, who was sitting beside his mother, his hands still grabbing his temples and supporting his head. Phoebe had a hand on his shoulder on the other side, and beside Phoebe was Paige looking worried.

"I am just tired" He answered dragging his words, as each one of them required a tremendous effort, and then they probably did. "Nothing a couple of hours of sleep won't fix, so… lets take care of the demon, so I can go and sleep and we can all be happy!"

"NOOOOOOOOO…." Said Phoebe

"Which part of we don't care about any demon right now, cuz YOU ARE SICK! Don't you get?" Paige emphasized.

"We'll take care of the demon once you get better" Piper commanded, ending the discussion "NOW HEAL"

Chris laid backwards on the couch, and sighed resign as his father glowed golden on top of him. He closed his eyes tiredly and heard his father whisper "Everything is going to be ok, buddy". Despite himself those words got to his core, loving every second of them, and replaying them mentally over and over again, wishing he could stay like that forever and have his dad comforting him eternally.

"_I must be delirious! You are just ridiculous Christopher_" He snapped himself out of it _"This is LEO we are talking about… you know how he is!"_ He scolded himself _"Yeah, my father_" He answered himself mentally. _"Why is this taking so long?"_ he asked himself _"Cuz love is the trigger… and he doesn't love you… your father doesn't love you! You are just a nuisance… if you were only half as good as Wyatt… but Wyatt isn't good; Wyatt is evil, Dad…. Yeah he might be evil, but he was good once upon a time, then he turned…remember? You…were always just a nuisance… a mistake… you were born a tinny nuisance, a tinny mistake and you grew up to be a big nuisance, a big mistake… And he never loved you, that is why he can't heal you!... But he was able to heal me a couple of weeks ago! "_He discussed with himself mentally… he could hear someone talking…

"I can't heal him, Piper… I don't know WHY! I can't Heal him." He heard Leo screamed desperate.

Chris opened his eyes only to meet his father's, they looked terrified, confused, he could see he was beating himself up out of this; and Chris couldn't help feeling a little glad about that… I mean… at least that meant he cared, right?

Chris sat down again…

"Well… we'll try again later!" He said as casually as he could ""NOW! We NEED to take care of this demon." He whined.

"NO! We need to take care of you, once you are fine, we'll see about the demon!" Piper barked at him.

"Please MOM" He said weakly. "It's important! It has to be today, because the demon won't come out for another month after today, and by then… it might be too late. We just have to find him and vanquish him!" He whined.

Leo placed his hand on Chris' knee, he didn't bother to avoid it.

"I have an idea" Leo told the rest "Why don't I stay here, taking care of Chris, you go vanquish this demon ass, so we won't have Mr. Neurotic here having one of his fits; and then we'll go from there?"

"Will you take care of yourself, if we go vanquish that demon, sweetie?" Piper asked him oh-ever-so-lovingly, and Chris' heart couldn't resist that tone.

"If he doesn't call me Mr. Neurotic!" He teased. Leaning backwards on the couch again, and closing his eyes.

Piper caressed his forehead, flinching a little when she felt his high temperature, and then kissed his temples tenderly. Chris smiled again at his mother's warmth.

"Don't worry, I won't call you Mr. Neurotic anymore, son!" Leo said affably.

"OR THAT!" Chris said bitterly.

Leo felt Chris' claws pierce his heart, but he knew his future self probably deserved it, now he had a chance to prove Chris he wasn't his future self.

"Well, you" Piper told Leo "orb him to my room, we'll prepare everything and go after the demon." she took charge, knowing it wasn't the moment to start scolding her son. Then she kissed Chris' forehead one more time "Don't worry, honey, we'll take care of this demon in a jiffy and I'll be back to pamper you while we find what's wrong with you, k?"

Chris nodded and let his father orb him to his mom's bed. Leo felt uncomfortable, he wanted to take care of the boy so badly, but he knew that if he pushed too hard all he was going to get was rejection from his part.

He stared at his youngest son, his eyes were closed, his chest going up and down with a little difficulty. His first instinct was to caress his hair that was getting soggy, probably from the fever, but something told him it wasn't the best idea. He slowly took Chris' shoes off, he flinched a little when he felt his father's touch.

"Shh… relax, buddy, just let me help you get more comfortable, k?" He whispered lovingly. After he took his shoes off, he covered him up. He could have orbed the comforter underneath him, on top of him, but instead he managed to moved him underneath the blankets, taking advantage of every second of contact he could have with his son, he could see he was shivering. "Are you still cold?" He asked worried, it wasn't really that cold and Chris had already more enough covers on top.

Even though his eyes were closed, Leo could see Chris was hesitating whether to answer his father or not.

"You promised us… that if they went to take care of the demon, you would let me take care of you, Chris!" He said sweetly yet firmly.

Chris nodded. "I am cold, and thirsty!" He said weakly.

Leo covered him with some more blankets and got some water from the bathroom, not wanting to leave his son alone, even for the small time that it would take him to go to the kitchen.

He helped Chris lift his head to drink the water, and even though he loved the fact that he didn't fight against him to do it himself, deep inside he knew that meant Chris was feeling so sick, he actually had trouble lifting his head on his own, and that thought was a lot worst than the pleasure he felt by the fact that his son had let him help him. Chris started swallowing as if he hadn't drank anything in five days, and of course, he choked, going into a coughing fit.

"Hey, slow down buddy… there is plenty more where it came from." Leo told him sweetly, rubbing his back. Chris started to drift into unconsciousness, shaking "CHRIS!" He yelled scared.

At the sound of his name Chris tried to open his eyes… barely managing to move his eye lids a little…his whole world started spinning, twisting and moving while he tried to hold his head steady, without any success, his head fell dead into his father's arms.

"Shh… calm down buddy." He heard someone telling him tenderly, as he was tucked into bed carefully. "Just rest a little, everything is going to be fine." The voiced caressed his hair… that voice… so sweet… so comforting… that voice was his dad's… but why would his dad be there? His dad didn't care… His dad was never there…

"Mom…" He heard someone whispered weakly and then realized that someone was him.

"She will be here soon, son." His dad's voice told him "Just go to sleep, I'll be right here with you…"

Leo watched Chris calmed down and sighed heavily, after drinking the water he had started trembling, shaking and collapsing in and out of consciousness, almost as if he was having a seizure, freaking him out, he could think of very little occasions in his life he had been more scared. Finally he had seemed to calm down, his chest up and down in a rhythmic motion and his eyes closed somehow peacefully.

He couldn't help caressing his damped hair, and whispering softly.

"I'll be right here with you, son. I won't let you down, I won't leave you alone, not this time. I will be here for you, I promise, my boy… I will be here for you, I won't let you down."

Chris could here his father's voice telling him… reassuringly, comfortingly…he wanted so hard to believe him… the guilty and preoccupied tone of his voice told him he wasn't lying, but then… his dad had always felt guilty for leaving him alone… but he did it anyways…Chris fought to stay awake, to listen to what his father had to say… but he was too tired, too sick to fight against slumber anymore.

A few minutes later Leo felt someone orbed in and saw Paige carrying icy water and some towels and Piper carrying baby Wyatt. Piper put Wyatt on the floor near his father, and grabbed the water.

"Here, we are ready to go… take care of Wyatt… Here" She said handling him the water and towels. "We thought it might help."

She walked to her son, caressing his hair and staring at him sadly, he didn't look so good, actually he looked very far from good. "My baby" She whispered, unable to move away from him.

"Mom" the boy answered in his feverish sleep.

"Mom is here, baby. Just sleep, ok?" She said kissing his forehead cautiously. She proceeded to stare at him again, like glued to his beautiful face. She knew she had to move, she had to go fight that demon, but she didn't want to, she couldn't do it… How could she leave him alone like this?

Nevertheless, she also knew that if she didn't vanquish the demon she would have to bear the wrath of her younger son once he was fine. He had kept his part of the deal, he had let his father take care of him (and that wasn't such an easy thing to do for Chris), now she had to go through her part of the deal… but he looked so frail, so weak…

"I know it's hard, but I'll take care of him… I promise, Piper!" The father of his children told her, reassuringly.

Piper nodded, still staring at Chris. She leaned down and whispered to his ear. "I love, peanut, mommy will be back soon." And she ran to Paige, so she would orbed them out of there before she could change her mind.

Leo gently put the icy towel on Chris forehead… He stirred and moaned, fighting weakly to get it off.

"It's ok, buddy, it's ok… this will make you feel better" Leo whispered to him.

"It's cold!" he managed to said, opening his feverish and unfocused eyes.

"I know buddy… I know… but it will help" He said sadly, looking at him and caressing his burning cheeks. "Just close your eyes"

Chris obeyed his father, the next two hours were quiet. Chris was asleep, moaning and screaming a little with his nightmares, but to Leo's relief, he would calm down whenever he heard his father's voice. So Leo spent the two hours putting cold towels on his son's forehead, caressing his hair and whispering tender and comforting words to him. The deal seemed to be working perfectly for both of them.

Leo saw that Wyatt was falling asleep on the floor and thought he probably should take him to his cradle; standing up he went to pick up his oldest and when he was doing so he heard Chris mumbled "Dad, don't go." Or at least he thought he heard that… but his son would never articulate those words! Not giving credit to his ears, he walked to Chris, his son's jade eyes were wide open. He caressed his hair with one arm, holding Wyatt with the other.

"Hey, buddy!" He smiled at him lovingly "What did you just say?"

"Dad, please don't go." He repeated.

Leo just wanted to ask him fifty more times, so he could get to hear that sentence over and over again. He had called him DAD! He had asked him to stay with him! Leo was overjoyed. He smiled broadly.

"Don't worry, son… I won't leave you… Wyatt was falling asleep that's all, he need his nap… do you think I can put him beside you on the bed?" He asked him softly. Chris nodded and Leo placed Wyatt near Chris. " You are a good brother, Chris."

Chris smiled at his father's comment.

"So…feeling any better?" Chris nodded; Leo touched his forehead; he still had a high fever, but not as high as a couple of hours ago. "Do you want anything?"

"Water" He said with a rough voice result of his dry mouth. Leo nodded and attempted to move to get the glass, Chris grabbed his hand, not letting him move.

"I am just going to get you some water son, I'll be right back" He kissed his forehead "I promise, ok?"

Leo decided to orb to the kitchen and came back with a bottle of water and pour it on a long glass. He took the glass near his son's mouth and helped him lift his head a little, Chris drank avidly.

"Easy, easy buddy" Leo warned him, the fear he felt with the seizure his son had suffer a couple of hours ago, still fresh in his mind.

"More" Chris asked weakly once he was done. After five glasses of water he seemed to have had enough. Leo put his son down.

"shh… just go to sleep, my boy!" He whispered to him, ready for his outburst since he had called him "my boy", but the outburst never came… instead Chris closed his eyes peacefully, without saying a word.

Leo caressed his hair watching him sleep, his chest up and down… he looked so frail, so different from the brave, tough man he was used to face. The guy that risked everything to save his family, and that family was also Leo's family, he was part of his family. Did he come to save him too? Did he come to save their relationship? He sure hoped so! Now… watching him in his sleep, struggling against the fever, he acted nothing like the tough guy he pretended to be whenever he was around. He was getting to see the side Piper had told him about, a sweet boy that wanted to be taken care of…

He was going to take care of him this time around, he promised to himself.

"I'll make it up to you, Chris" He mumbled out-loud "I will be there this time around, I promise! I won't leave you alone, my brave boy… I won't!" He kissed his burning forehead "I love you, son"

"I love you too dad, you just hurt me too many times." Chris said softly, his eyes still closed.

"Chris!" Leo screamed startled "I thought you were asleep."

Chris opened his eyes and smirked tragically "Why? You wouldn't have said any of that if you knew I was awake?" his tone a little bit more angry than necessary.

"I actually would have thought you would have never let me say those words if you were awake."

"Life is full of surprises, isn't it?" He said smiling bitterly.

Leo just kissed his forehead again and caressed his hair.

"So… you do love me?" He smiled self-content.

"Don't get use to it!" He smiled back at him shyly, yet still angry at his father.

"Sleep, son…I'll stay here beside you…"

Chris finally fell asleep. After a long while Leo could sense the three sister orbing in and a couple of seconds after that Piper entered the room; Leo signaled her to hush and pointed at her sleeping sons. Piper's heart melted watching at her two sons sleeping one beside the other. She walked to them, kissing both of them on their cheeks and then she walked towards Leo and whispered.

"How is Chris doing?"

"Better… I guess sleeping did help!" He smiled at her.

"I am glad!" She smiled relieved "Was he too difficult?"

Leo smiled widely at her… it was worth a million word.

"I guess he wasn't" She smiled.

"Mom!" Chris stirred with a smile, opening his eyes.

Piper hurried to his side, caressing his face.

"How are you feeling, baby?"

"Better" He smiled at her mom. "Did you vanquish the demon?"

"There is the Chris we all love and adore… yeah we did vanquish the demon! Now back to what is REALLY important… and Phoebe and Paige you can come in from behind the door, cuz I KNOW you are ear-dropping!"

The door opened and the guilty looking pair appeared.

"So I was saying…" Piper continued "Chris, do you have any idea why you are sick? Or why your dad couldn't heal you?"

Chris shook his head.

"Nothing? At All?" Paige asked

"I thought it was just a cold!" He shrugged "Though…."

"Though…?" said Paige anxiously

"Five nights ago… a demon shimmered into the attic and I vanquished it…that would be normal… the thing is… the demon threw a potion at me… but the potion didn't work, nothing happened… though the next morning I started feeling sick, and it just got worst and worst since then."

"A demon shimmered into the Attic and you didn't tell us?" Paige screamed.

"Someone threw you a potion and you didn't tell us?" Phoebe panicked

"You've been feeling sick for FOUR days and you didn't tell us?" Piper freaked out.

Leo meanwhile was thinking that his son had been feeling like crap for four days and hadn't even try to contact him so he could heal him and he felt horrible about that.

Chris grabbed temples, indicating pain.

"I didn't tell you that a demon came into the attic, cuz I vanquished him before he could do any harm. I didn't tell you about the potion cuz I didn't work"

"Yeah…we can SEE that!" Piper said sarcastically. Chris ignored her.

"I didn't tell you I was sick, cuz I thought it was just a cold and I didn't want to worry you!"

"I am your MOTHER, I LIKE to worry about you" She answered him

"I am your SON, I DON'T LIKE you to worry about me." But they could see the whole commotion was taking it's toll on Chris' weak state, and they couldn't help getting worried.

"Ok Leo, go up there to see if you can find out something."

Leo didn't look too happy.

"You'll call me if something happens?" He asked

"yeah, Yeah… we'll call you… I promise…now go." Piper emphasized.

Leo kissed his son's forehead one more time, and the charmed ones were pleasantly shocked when Chris didn't seem to mind it.

"I'll be right back, ok? And anything you need, ANYTHING just call me ok?"

Chris nodded and couldn't help feeling pleased with his father's interest and words.

When Leo orbed, Chris sat down on the bed, before his mom could manage to push him down to a horizontal position he said.

"And we should go to the attic to check the book of shadows to see if we can find the demon."

"Correction, we should go to the attic to check the book of shadows, YOU on the other hand, should sleep!" His mom barked.

"Mom, I already slept! And besides…I am the only one that saw the demon… so how are you going to know what to look for?" He smirked at them.

Piper sighed "Paige… bring me the book of shadows here, would you?"

Seconds afterwards, Paige orbed back there with the book and they reluctantly gave it to Chris.

An hour later, Chris was still going through the book without finding anything when Leo orbed in. He stared at his son, making sure he was ok and gave him a reprehensive smile when he saw him going through the book of shadows.

"Chris, the demon that attacked you… did he have red hair, a pointy red tale, red claws and was about six two?"

"yeah!" He answered happily "Did you find out anything about him?"

"Yeah he has been around for a while, it's just a minor demon, with minimum powers, that used to look human, but he was kind of a "lab-rat", a scientist and apparently he has been infecting witches with this modified and enhanced virus that can't be heal by whitelighters!"

"GREAT! JUST GREAT!" Piper said ironically.

"And what CAN we do about it?" Phoebe asked, thinking positively.

"Well… after a few trials they had came up with a cocktail of medicines that oughta help."

"MEDICINE? ARE WE GOING TO TREAT HIM WITH MEDICINE?" Paige asked freaked out.

Leo looked at her guilty; he felt he had failed his son one more time. Piper looked at him and her heart went to him, he had done his best and had come up with a solution, maybe not the ideal one, but the best one available.

"Why? Can you think of a better solution? Besides, people get treated with medicine EVERY day in this world! And will this work?"

"As long as he doesn't do anything crazy and he takes his medicine, it should work, it's just a virus, the thing is that it can't be heal with whitelighter's powers."

"So… you heard your father, mister! NOTHING CRAZY, ok?"

Chris nodded, while looking at her in a "you are crazy, mom" and "Whatever you wanna say, like I am paying any attention to you!" way.

"Ok, give me that list that I'll go buy everything right away!" Said Phoebe, pulling the list out of Leo's hand. "Wanna give me an orb?" She asked Paige, and they orbed away.

Piper smiled relieved, everything was going to be fine.

"And you mister" She told her son, shuffling his hair "should go back to sleep."

"I don't want to sleep, mom" He pouted and Piper had a hard time controlling her desire of telling him he could do whatever he wanted.

"But you NEED to, so I will go fix dinner while you take a nap." She indicated him.

"I don't want to sleep and I am not hungry, MOOOMM" He whined like a baby.

"I don't care, and I care even less! You are sick so you got to sleep and you gotta eat! So now… be a good boy and close your eyes, k?"

He nodded, he was too tired to fight his mom!

Piper walked to him, turning on a baby monitor beside him, she caressed his cheek.

"Anything you need, you just call us, ok?" He closed his eyes and she kissed his forehead "sweet dreams, honey, I love you."

"I love you too, mom."

Piper was leaving when she realized her ex-husband wasn't following her in the motion.

"Leo, are you coming?" She asked.

"I am staying here" He answered.

"He is a big boy, you know? He can sleep alone!" She teased.

"I promised him I wasn't going to leave him, and I won't" He said firmly.

Piper and Chris smiled.

After Piper was gone, Chris whispered "come!" and Leo rush to his side.

"Shh, I am here son, just sleep, or your mom it's going to kill us both."

"The song… there was a song" Chris said.

"Which song, Chris?"

"The other day… I was passing by and you were with Wyatt and you were singing him a song…"

"Were you ear-dropping on me and Wyatt?" he chuckled, but something inside him told him not to pursuit with that line of questioning "What's up with that song?"

"You used to sing it to me when I was little, it sounded familiar that day, but I couldn't place it… but I remembered now… you used to sing it to both of us when you orbed in in the middle of the night…"

"And you liked it?" Leo asked.

Chris nodded "Would you sing it to me?" He knew it was an absurd request, he knew he was too grown up for those sorts of things, but he was feeling horrible and weak and his story with his dad was more twisted than twister.

He felt asleep to the sound of his father's lullaby; to be awoken by the smell of his mom's cooking, for a second, he forgot he was in the past, he forgot about Wyatt, he forgot about the destruction of the world. Half delirious he stood up saying "Mom" only to land in his father's arms that ran to catch him before he fell.

"Uoa… Uoa buddy, take it easy!" Leo told his son, catching him in his fall, he could see his eyes were barely open and he probably was half aware of what was going on. He was tucking him back into bed when Piper opened the door carrying a tray with food, that Leo immediately orbed to the night table, behind her Paige was carrying another tray.And Phoebe in the back was carrying yet another one.

"What happened?" Piper asked worried.

"I think the delicious smell of your cooking made him forget he was sick" Leo smiled.

"Uh?"

"He stood up saying Mom and he almost fainted"

Piper ran to her son.

"Baby, are you ok?"

Chris opened his eyes a little and tried to focus them on his mom.

"Mom" He smiled weakly at her.

"Hey sweetie, I need you to drink this for me." She said pouring all the pills he had to take in one of her hands and holding a glass of water with the other. Leo helped her lift his head so he could drink the water. "There you go… good boy." She said after he had swallowed his cocktail. " Do you think you can sit down, honey?"

Chris nodded while Leo helped him into a sitting position. Paige set one of the trays on Chris lap and caressed his cheek, looking at him meaningful. Phoebe kissed him and told him "Get better, Chris." And they both left the room.

Piper and Leo were setting the trays for themselves to eat with Chris when Wyatt woke up in a crying fit, Chris felt his head explode and wondered what had he done to deserve such a painful and cruel punishment. Seeing Chris' pain, Leo ran to his oldest, since Piper very pregnant state wasn't allowing her to move as graceful as usual. Once he reached Wyatt he orbed away.

Chris closed his eyes and sighed in relief.

"Are you ok honey?" Piper asked him worried, by the time Leo orbed back in, Chris still couldn't manage to answer her question.

Eating dinner and chatting with his parent exhausted Chris, yet he had a great time, a lot better than he could have expected considering his father was there; yet he didn't know if it was the fever, that he was weak or tired, or that the facts of that afternoon had given him a new perspective on his father but they actually had a decent conversation during dinner.

His eyes started fighting to shut down by the middle of the dinner and Piper and Leo realized he was falling asleep by the time dessert came, so they just stopped talking and turned off the lights, letting nature take it's course, which was probably better than fighting with Chris so he would go to sleep.

At some point during the night Chris felt someone touching him and he jumped startled, been Chris Halliwell meant in his world, you could never be caught of guard.

"Shh… boy it's me, calm down."

"Dad" He said feverish.

"Yeah, son… I am going to give you a shot now… it will help lower the fever, ok?"

Chris nodded. Leo tapped the syringe in his hand, and then rolling up the boy's sleeve, he said.

"It will sting a little." With an expert's precision he inserted the needle and started emptying the fluid. Leo thanked that he had been a doctor before he died, yet on the other hand, he thought that was also a curse, cuz he could tell Chris was really not in good shape. He gave Chris some more water, knowing the fever was draining the boy from the precious liquid and then let him to rest.

The next day when Leo went to check on Chris, his worst fears were confirmed. They had told him that the medicine might take a day or two to start making effect, but the fever shot should have lowered the fever pretty fast, but it didn't… Chris was even worst than the night before. He was shivering, sweaty and mumbling incoherent words in his delirium and he could tell his dreams weren't pleasant. Leo gave him another shot, hopping it would help.

Piper and Leo spent the whole day by his side, applying icy towels on Chris' forehead, that he fought weakly to remove and whispering comforting words to him, since his parents and aunts voices were the only thing that seemed to calm him down a little.

They couldn't help having mixed feelings when in the worst of his delirium, Chris kept on calling for Wyatt. Feeling relieved that Chris still loved his brother so much, and knowing that must meant that they had good moments together, yet knowing all that Wyatt had forced Chris to go through and that they could not provide the comforting words from his brother he was expecting. Still he seemed to be able to sense the presence of baby Wyatt since it gave him some sort of relief.

The few conscious moments he had that day, he just asked for water and acted as brave as his condition allowed him to, trying to make sure his parents wouldn't worry about him.

By late afternoon his condition started to improve and everybody felt relieved. His sleep seemed to stabilized and he stopped shouting and twisting in agony, they even managed to wake him up to take the medicine and Leo gave him the night shot while he was sleeping hoping he would wake up better tomorrow. He kissed his forehead.

"Get better, buddy! Your mom, aunts and I need you around and kicking asses as you always do." He stared at him for a while and then added. "I am so proud of you, MY son."

"Thanks, dad." Chris managed to mumble. Leo caressed his hair. "You were here for me… all day, Dad…all day…" he whispered.

"Of course I was here… you were sick, Chris…you needed me!"

" I needed you a lot of times, dad… you somehow always had the impression that if I faked a brave face it meant I didn't need you!"

" I promise I won't make that mistake again, my boy" He caressed his shoulder. "Now go back to sleep."

"Will you leave?"

"Your mom and I will be here by your side all night, don't worry about it… now go to sleep."

Chris woke up in the middle of the night to find his mother laying beside him and his father sleeping on the couch, he smiled and rest his head on his mother's body. She woke up and smiled at him, kissing her forehead.

"How do you feel, honey? Any better?" He nodded. "Do you need anything?" Chris shook his head. "Just a little love from you mom?" Chris chuckled and nodded, Piper passed her arms around him and hugged him tight. "Don't you dare ever, ever, ever scared us again as you did today, ok? And that goes to you too" She told her very pregnant belly. Chris felt asleep smiling.

He woke up the next morning with the smell of fresh coffee and feeling a lot better, he took a deep breath and smiled stirring in his mother's bed. He looked around and he was alone in the bedroom, his parents probably went down for breakfast. He decided he wanted some of that coffee… and probably some food too. He orbed to the kitchen were everybody was.

He had to admit he was kind of woozy when he landed, his hand on the table for stability. He rapidly sat down… "Hmmm coffee… it's smell soo good!" He said as jolly as he could considering his head seemed to have a giant nutcracker trying to crack his skull.

"Chris… What the hell are you doing here? Off to bed mister!" Piper ordered in a definitely not jolly tone.

"Mom… I just wanted to have breakfast!" He whined.

"You will have breakfast… in BED!"

Leo didn't bother to wait for the rest of the fight and just grabbed Chris orbing him upstairs.

"That's not fair!" Chris whined once he was forced into bed.

"I am a doctor and I am your father… I will tell you what's fair, understood?" Leo said firmly and angry, mostly out of the fear of what wondering around the house would do to Chris' state… if he would have really thought about what he was saying he wouldn't have said it. Once again he was expecting Chris' wrath, especially now that he seemed to be feeling better.

"Yes, dad." He whispered instead.

Leo tucked Chris into bed and took his temperature, still too high. Leo caressed his son's cheek and looked at him lovingly, their jade eyes met and Chris' looked sad and guilty, as if he felt bad for worrying them. And Leo thought that he probably did. Leo just gave in to the impulse of hugging his son, Chris fought to get away, but Leo wouldn't let him.

"What do you want from me?" Chris cried heart broken, as if the touch of his father hurt him.

"I want to be your father, Chris!"

"NO… you will leave me again, like you always do… and I can't let you do that! Why are you doing this to me? WHY? I can't stand you being nice to me… I can't stand you being around me… I CAN'T STAND IT! Can't you understand? Can't you just leave?" Chris was lying in the bed… this definitely wasn't helping his illness.

"No I can't Chris… you didn't seem to think that yesterday or the day before that, quite on the contrary. I WON'T LEAVE, CHRIS… so learn to deal with it… cuz you are stuck with me."

"NO" Chris started trembling and Leo covered him, he tried to caressed his son, but he flinch.

"Calm down, Chris, please…you are sick! We can have this fight once you get better, ok? Now just relax." Said Leo, perplexed by his son's love-hate reactions.

"I won't relax with you near me!" Chris threatened him. " I told you I can't stand you being nice to me… I can't stand you being around me…"

"Why not? Because you hate me, Chris? I am not going to believe that!"

"No…I don't hate you, ok?" He said bitterly "You are my FATHER, and I love you… I can't even help it! That is why it HURTS so bad when you abandon me…" He said rolling on the bed to avoid looking at his father.

Leo said nothing, just started singing the song he had asked him to sing a couple of days before…

"I'll be with you  
I'll be there for you always  
Always and always  
Just look over your shoulder  
Just look over your shoulder  
Just look over your shoulder  
I'll be there always

Come stop your crying, it will be all right  
Just take my hand, hold it tight  
I will protect you from all around you  
I will be here, don't you cry

For one so small, you seem so strong  
My arms will hold you, keep you safe and warm  
This bond between us can't be broken  
I will be here, don't you cry

'Cause you'll be in my heart  
Yes, you'll be in my heart  
From this day on  
Now and forever more  
You'll be in my heart  
No matter what they say  
You'll be here in my heart always

Why can't they understand the way we feel?  
They just don't trust what they can't explain  
I know we're different but deep inside us  
We're not that different at all

And you'll be in my heart  
Yes, you'll be in my heart  
From this day on  
Now and forever more

Don't listen to them, what do they know?  
We need each other, to have, to hold  
They'll see in time, I know  
When destiny calls you, you must be strong  
I may not be with you, but you've got to hold on  
They'll see in time, I know  
We'll show them together 'cause

You'll be in my heart  
Believe me, you'll be in my heart  
I'll be there from this day on  
Now and forever more  
Oh you'll be in my heart  
You'll be here in my heart  
No matter what they say  
I'll be with you  
You'll be here in my heart  
I'll be there always, always

I'll be with you  
I'll be there for you always  
Always and always  
Just look over your shoulder  
Just look over your shoulder  
Just look over your shoulder  
I'll be there always"

( A/N: Disclaimer two… I don't own this song either… it's from Tarzan You'll Be In My Heart -_Phil Collins. I just thought it would be a nice touch to have a song that would actually say what Chris wanted to hear, and how probably Leo felt about their kids and Piper!)_

Chris slowly started to relax… Leo caressing his hair, still singing. By the time Piper came with breakfast, Chris was already asleep.

"Mom" Said Chris stirring when he woke up sometime later; he looked around, they were alone. "Where is dad?"

Piper smiled when he heard Chris called Leo dad. "I sent him to sleep a little, since he barely slept this two past night, but we can call him if you want… he told me to call him if you needed him." She caressed his hair and he smiled lovingly at her.

"No… it's fine. Where is Wyatt?"

"He was cranky so Paige and Phoebe took him out, so he wouldn't wake you up."

"So it's just you and me?" Chris smiled sleepy.

"Yeah… just you and me, peanut"

"Are you going to call me like that forever?" He said softly, tenderly.

"You bet… you are my baby boy, my little peanut."

"Mom… I am twenty two, Wyatt is one… I think he is your baby boy right now."

Piper kissed his forehead. "Never… you are my baby boy, no matter how old you are." She said caressing her belly. "Speaking of Wyatt… you know you were calling for him?"

"When?"

"Yesterday… when you were delirious."

"Did I call for Wy?" He said softly, not particularly surprised.

Piper and Chris stayed the next two hours talking, later Leo joined the conversation… by the time Phoebe and Paige came back with Wyatt, Chris was exhausted again.

Phoebe and Paige came into the room. Phoebe was carrying Wyatt that immediately stretched his arms to Chris (evidently being a baby, and as perceptive as any baby, and probably even more being the twice blessed and Chris' brother, he could sense something was wrong with him and wanted to do his part in comforting him.), and Paige was carrying some ice-cream and a spoon.

"No, honey… Chris is sick, he can't be carrying you around." Phoebe explained Wyatt sweetly.

"Here…" Paige handled Chris the ice-cream, with the sweetest smile ever. "Your favorite, we thought you might want some." She barely caressed his cheek sweetly, knowing Paige wasn't too big on corny words or showing her affection, Chris welcome this demonstration of affection, knowing it had the same value as a three hours none stop hug from his other aunt.

"Thanks, Paige" He lifted his face to smile at his aunt, she was looking at his pale face lovingly and worried; Chris hated worrying his family like that. Pulling strength out of no where he stretched his arms to Wyatt, who almost threw himself out of Phoebe's embrace. Realizing Phoebe wasn't going to let him go, Wyatt just orbed himself to his brother's lap. Chris chuckled.

"Bad Wyatt, very, very bad Wyatt." Phoebe scolded Wyatt with a smile.

Shuffling his brother's hair and filling his head with memories, Chris opened the ice-cream and started eating it, sharing it with his baby brother, who in turn did his sharing part with his and Chris' clothes.

Despite feeling far from good, Chris couldn't help smiling… his whole family was together and they were having a great family time. Chris, that was in a sitting position, his back resting on the back of the bed, rested his head on it too, closing his eyes… He couldn't remember having a time like that since he was eight; it had been his mom's birthday and his father could attend to it; his mom had left him and Wyatt stayed up late and they spent the whole night sitting on Leo's lap, one on each leg. There had been only them and the grown ups, Chris had felt special.

The others could see Chris was nodding, fighting to stay awake…

"Chris, sweetie. Why don't you take a bath and go to sleep?" Piper said, noticing Chris' Pj were an ice-cream parade courtesy of his baby brother, not to mention that due to his state they hadn't thought about moving him to the shower in three very sweaty days.

Chris jerked opening his eyes widely; he didn't want to go to sleep, he wanted to keep on enjoying this perfect moment, god knew he didn't had enough of them in his life.

Phoebe's empathy felt his feelings. "Don't worry honey, we are not going anywhere… we'll be right here when you wake up…" She walked to him and kissed his forehead. "And forever by your side."

Reluctantly Chris agreed to be taken to the bathroom, and even more reluctantly he was forced to take a bath with his mother beside him, that refused to leave him alone in the bathroom, fearing he might fall asleep or faint.

He slept soundly till the next morning.

When he woke up his father was checking his pulse, temperature and some other vital signs. At first he woke up scared, as he always did when he was awoke by someone else's touch, but then he stirred and smile, despite himself, his father was growing on him and it was hard to keep on staying mad at him.

He was shocked, and a little angry at himself by how easily he could forgave him for the years of years of neglection, but suddenly it was easier to remember the few good moments, to understood he had really been busy and that he hadn't put Wyatt or his mom before him. After all… he had forgiven Wyatt, and he had done far worst things to the world, but then… Wyatt was insane, and he knew it, and Wyatt would have never hurt him on purpose.

And would his dad? Did he hurt him on purpose? Watching at Leo smiling at him lovingly, he doubted it. "Maybe you didn't came from the future just to save Wyatt, maybe you also came to save us." His father had said… and he had hated the tears that flooded his eyes at that moment; but he couldn't lie to himself pretending he didn't care.

"You look like you are feeling better, son" Leo said relieved to feel his much cooler forehead and see his overall improved state of health. Chris tried to sit down, Leo hesitate for a second whether he should be doing that or not and after a second he placed a pillow on the back on the bed and helped him into a horizontal position.

Seconds later Piper peek into the room.

"Come in, he is awake." Leo told her. She walked to her son and caressed his hair with a smile.

"Feeling any better, peanut?"

"Much better, mom!" He smiled. Piper looked at Leo in order to confirm what Chris was saying, he did have a tendency to diminish his illness after all. Leo nodded happily. Chris gaze at the warm rays of son inundating the room and felt a certain urge. "Mom, can we go have breakfast outside, in the garden? It's beautiful outside and I promise I'll be good!" He pleaded childishly, smiling persuasively.

Piper eyed Leo for approval. "I think a little sun and fresh air will be good for him."

Piper kissed the point of Chris' nose "Ok… I'll set up everything and your dad will orb you there when it's ready, ok?"

Chris smiled… fifteen minutes later Chris was orbed to a chair in the garden, he inhale deeply, smelling the sweet scent of the fresh air. He shivered a little, it was a little colder than he expected, but other than that… it was perfect.

From behind him, Phoebe passed her arms around his shoulder.

"It's nice to see you are better, sweetie." She said, kissing his cheek. "See I told we'd be here when you woke up…"

"And forever by my side." Chris whispered to himself, but she heard it. "Forever sweetie, because we love you." She whispered to her ear. Wyatt suddenly orbed to Chris' lap… suddenly overjoyed that he was out of bed. "Specially your brother over here." Phoebe teased him as she sat down for breakfast.

"I surely hope so, because I specially love him too." Chris answered, almost unaware of his answer, smiling widely at his brother and play with his tiny hands. Baby Wyatt laughed in delight. And Phoebe smiled at the scene and at those words, Chris had never volunteered information to her about his relationship with his brother while being conscious before.

A very sleepy Paige came out a couple of minutes later and put first a hand on his shoulders.

"Welcome to the land of the living, Oh-dear-nephew-of-mine." She teased him. Then she kneeled in front of him, and held his right hand, looking straight into his eyes. "Don't you EVER, ever dare to scare me like that again, got it mister?" She said with a smile, but Chris could see the fear in her eyes, the love, the sorrow and his heart was touched, he lift the hand that was holding his and kissed it. Chris smiled and brushed a strain of hair out of his aunt's face.

"I got it auntie, never ever again."

"Good." She said sitting down.

Seconds later Leo orbed back in, Chris looked at him surprised and then he realized where he had gone. His father was carrying a blanket, he had gone to get one once he saw Chris shivering. He sat Wyatt in his baby chair, Wyatt was all but happy with that. Leo covered Chris lovingly with the blanket, Chris was about to complain, but he was cold and had promised his mother he was going to be good. So he just smiled "Thanks, dad." He said, absolutely conscious of the last word he was pronouncing and saw how his father's face lit up when he heard that simple word.

"Your welcome, son." He answered lovingly.

A pregnant Piper came in last, carrying the last things for breakfast. She smiled blissfully when she saw the three men in her life, one beside the other, kissing each of their cheeks. She asked Leo to help her move Wyatt's chair so she could sit beside Chris. Her younger son tried to stand up and help, but his mother's stare was more than enough of a warning.

Once she was sitting down Piper held his hand and looked at him with a stare that was worth all the magic words in the world, Chris felt the warm, cozy, feeling that only his mom could provoke in him and smile back.

In Chris' standards, breakfast was perfect! Which gave him more strength to save the world, to make sure his family remain this perfect. He was more determined that ever to save Wyatt from whatever evil turned him.

A/N: So what do you think? I know… not much of a plot, but I thought it was cute!


End file.
